Sleeping Late and Lying Awake
by mewsomniac
Summary: Things hadn't been the same since the last time Roxas saw Sora. The fantasies started out innocently at first: romantic little daydreams with no real consequence. In the world of sleep, though, they were nothing but steamy. As Roxas' life carries on in the background, he struggles with fighting his true feelings. It's just a stupid crush... right? [Late Soroku Week 2020 Entry]


**Disclaimer:** All characters in this fanfiction are 18 years of age or older.

**For readers who are 18+ ONLY:**

**To read the uncensored, explicit, extra-sexy version of this chapter, please visit my author profile for links.**

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**Sleeping Late & Lying Awake**

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The force of the kiss shoved Roxas into the balcony door frame as Sora's lips pressed hot and heavy into his. It still wasn't deep enough. Roxas pulled the other man closer, his hands clamoring for purchase on shoulders, hair, arms… wherever he could grasp.

Sora pulled away, and the glittering landscape of summer filled Roxas' vision as he opened his eyes. The streetlights were shining from the balcony, the occasional pop of fireworks rattled the sky, and Sora's eyes were shimmering in the darkness.

"I want you, Roxas." He whispered.

Suddenly, Roxas was falling back. His body hit his mattress, with Sora's form coming to rest atop him.

The brunet's lips were warmer than sunshine, sweeter than ice cream… a million different nothings passed through Roxas' mind—

_Never stop, never leave, never want anyone else but me._

But all he could do was breathe and gasp against Sora's neck as the other man melted into everything he ever was or ever would be.

Those shimmering eyes met his again, and he opened his mouth to say the one thing that mattered above everything else: the three words that clung to him.

But then, his alarm went off.

It didn't seem to faze Sora, but Roxas had practically jumped out of his skin.

Why was his alarm going off at night, of all times?

His eyes snapped open, blinking into the sunshine that replaced the darkness of his apartment. Sora had vanished, same as always. It had been another dream, drifting neatly back into his subconscious like snow into spring.

Roxas' body felt flushed and his heart was thumping wildly, just like most mornings. It had been the same way since the last time he saw Sora in person.

He reached for his phone and, as usual, a notification on GummiChat was waiting for him. He opened it, and the smiling face of Sora filled his phone screen. The other man's squinting eyes sparkled, a full two rows of teeth visible. The caption read: _Sun's out here! You up?_

Roxas smiled and, acting like he didn't just have a steamy dream about the other Keyblade wielder, picked a filter. He replied with a casual picture of his face poking out from under the covers. A cascade of augmented sparkles circled his head as his own caption read, _Now I am, unfortunately._

And it really was unfortunate. Without fail, he always woke up before things got _really _good in his dream… leaving him feeling desolate and unsatisfied.

He wrenched himself free of his bed and added a mental tally to the amount of mornings he had to start the day with a cold shower.

He managed to suppress the prickling sensation of anxiety all the way to school, and even had it pretty under control when he sat down for homeroom. He didn't even worry too much when Pence leaned over to him.

"Six more days and we get to retire these stupid ties _for good._"

He rolled his eyes at the shorter all this time, Roxas still had no idea what Pence's gripe with their school uniforms was. The yellow-plaid ties, pants, and skirts always looked stylish to Roxas, anyway. Even Hayner liked them, thinking they made them look more grown-up. Pence, however, always spent the first and last few weeks of the school year ragging on them.

"We're 4th Years!" Pence said during the beginning of fall semester, "We shouldn't have to still wear uniforms!"

Feeling a small inkling of inspiration, Roxas took out his phone and opened up GummiChat. He lifted his tie and snapped a quick photo. He captioned it _Six more days and we ditch the ties for good!_ and sent it off to Sora.

That was about when the previously-contained anxiety went scrabbling up his back. Only _six more days_. And then what?

He still didn't have an answer to that. Time had blinked by since they saved the world. He went from swinging magical blades on a battlefield to wearing a uniform at a normal school… and now they were about retire the uniform. Who has he without it? Without any of it, magic _**or **_schoolbooks?

His phone buzzed and he opened GummiChat. Sora's hand was draped melodramatically over his grimacing face. _But the tie is so stylish!_

Roxas elbowed Pence and showed him Sora's response. The shorter boy scoffed.

"Let's send a pic back," Roxas said as he draped an arm over Pence's shoulders. They took a photo with their tongues stuck out. _Give us tie-liberation or give us death! _Roxas decided to save that one to his camera roll, too.

"Don't you think it's crazy," Pence asked, "That he of all people didn't want to have a normal life?"

After their long quest to return Sora to their realm, everyone chose to go back to simple lives that had some semblance of normalcy. Everyone except for Sora.

While Roxas and his friends finished out high school in Twilight Town, Sora was zipping across the galaxy's open doorways. On the surface, some may have considered this the universe's longest vacation… but Sora was out there single-handedly protecting, rebuilding, and sometimes discovering whole new worlds. Presumably so his friends could go about their own lives with no worries over the state of the universe.

"Honestly?" Roxas said, "I'm still not that surprised."

Sora always knew exactly what he wanted, and never stopped in his pursuit of it. Roxas, meanwhile, still had no idea what he really wanted, or even what was worth pursuing. He hoped that by finishing high school, the answer would become clear to him… but the closer they crept to graduation, the further he got from that answer.

Maybe Roxas could find his new normal eventually, but Sora for sure wasn't cut out for anything "normal."

His phone buzzed. Sora sent him a cross eyed picture with a tongue sticking out. _Ngl, would fight my way through the underworld for your soul._

The picture was goofier than Goofy, but the caption made Roxas' heart warm. He took a screenshot.

And then immediately realized what he'd done.

Panicking, he responded to Sora through text chat.

_[I'm keeping this for my legal records]_

His heart was thumping like a jackhammer as he waited for Sora to respond. He couldn't stop chastising himself for his slip-up. He combed his fingers through his bangs and knotted them into a fist.

His heart shot up into his throat when his phone buzzed again. He almost dropped the device trying to open up the application.

_[lol]_

Roxas let out the biggest breath of his life. Crisis averted.

He and Sora communicated through GummiChat almost nonstop since Sora had been saved. Roxas and his friends had been using the application for quite some time before then, and when he introduced Sora to the service, the brunet was hooked.

Roxas didn't know if Sora was ever being purposefully flirty, but considering the other man's track record, Sora was probably just super clueless.

That's how it all started: Sora would say something clever or cute and Roxas could feel his heart suddenly pumping extra blood into his cheeks. Roxas quickly became addicted to these correspondences, sometimes even sneaking photos in class or chatting under his desk. When Sora found out what the blond was doing, he refused to respond to anything during class or Roxas' homework time. But, when Roxas was without Sora's long-distance company, his brain decided to fill in the gaps with other things.

The fantasies started out innocently at first: romantic little daydreams with no real consequence. He imagined Sora coming to visit him. Then, they would be holding hands and watching a movie in the square. Sometimes, they'd share an ice cream after dinner. Then, Sora would kiss his hand, or his cheek… but he'd always ask before ever kissing his lips.

In his head, Roxas could hear Sora asking, "Can I kiss you?" And it sent his heart fluttering like hummingbird wings in the breeze.

Fortunately, Roxas was already a decent student even without the added distractions carrying him off his focus. It was rote memorization that he struggled with. That, however, was Sora's wheelhouse. He wondered if it was a gift leftover from Naminé fixing the brunet's memory.

"You probably would have done really well if you decided to stay in school," Roxas told Sora once over a video call.

Sora laughed, "And miss all of this?" He gestured to the Corona skyline, where a blanket of lanterns was wrapping the world in gold. "These are the moments I'd prefer memorizing, thank you."

Roxas smiled, "That's very fair. I don't honestly blame you."

"One of these days, when all your homework is finished for good, I'll bring you with me."

And just like that, Roxas had another daydream he could drape over his mind: sitting beside Sora underneath the lantern-studded sky.

The school bell rang, and Roxas and Pence parted ways to shuffle off to their next classes. As per one of Sora's requests, he left his phone in his school bag so as not to risk a distraction. He waited patiently through the next few classes, crossing paths with Hayner, Olette, Pence, and Xion like normal. When the lunch bell rang, he pulled his phone out of his bag to check for more GummiChat notifications.

Instead, there was a voicemail from Sora.

"Roxas! Look, I can't talk long—" there was the sound of a massive crash, and Sora cursed, "Sorry! Sorry! Anyway, don't panic! I just needed to tell you—" Another massive clattering, then a muffled, "Oh SHIT—"

The message ended.

Roxas was thoroughly confused. His immediate instinct was to call the brunet back. When he did, it went straight to voicemail. Despite what Sora told him, he could feel panic rising in his chest.

Was Sora okay? There was such a commotion going on in the background. He wanted to text anyone to ask if they'd heard from the other man, but this message had been left no more than an hour ago. Surely the brunet would get in touch again soon, and surely Roxas' anxiety was proof that he'd been obsessing just a little too much lately.

He parted ways with his friends and took the short trek back to his studio apartment near Station Heights. The initial idea was that he, Axel, Lea, and Xion would get a place together while Xion and Roxas finished high school. However, after talking it through, they realized it'd be best to get separate places so they could learn to exist and thrive as individuals. They also realized it would be better for Roxas and Xion to have some privacy so they could really come into their unique identities. Axel and Isa got their own places near the local community college to get their degrees in science started while Roxas and Xion found studio apartments about fifteen minutes away from Twilight Town's high school. They were able to pay for all of it through a grant King Mickey set up to thank them for their services as heroes.

He walked into his apartment and kicked off his shoes. His place was small, but it had everything Roxas needed. The first thing one would see walking into the short entryway is the small kitchenette. To the left was the rest of the apartment. On the right wall was the living space, which consisted of a decently-sized tv, gaming console, and a loveseat. Around the TV was a large bookcase with several games, books, and various knick-knacks. On the left of the living space was an extended section that housed the bathroom and closet. Flush against the closet wall is where Roxas' bed sat. Across from that was his small desk.

However, the real treasure of the space was at the far wall. It sat to the right of his desk, and to the left of the living space: the balcony. It was perfect.

Two massive french doors swung into the apartment, leading out to a balcony with a wrought-iron railing and very little depth. It was ridiculously small for how big the french doors made it seem. Two and a half people could stand out there comfortably, but that was it. There wasn't even room to put a chair or a large potted plant… but Roxas loved it all the same. Olette and Axel helped him hang sheer white curtains on both the inside and outside for added privacy. During summer nights, he left the french doors wide open so the curtains would gently billow in the warm breeze. It was absolutely gorgeous.

Because of the close proximity to school and the Usual Spot, Roxas' place almost always became his friend's secondary hang-out. After all, it was bigger than the Usual Spot and had air-conditioning. Today though, he was grateful to be alone. His anxiety over Sora was putting him into a weird mood, and he was desperate to decompress. With no homework for their last week of school, he plopped down into his loveseat and booted up his console.

The rest of the day seemed to drag on. It was almost embarrassing how often Roxas would pick up his phone to check for new messages. He was technically an adult now, and yet he was acting like a middle-schooler. He felt like a lovestruck dork.

He went to bed that night hoping some good rest would help alleviate his fears… but instead, he laid awake with a knotted up stomach. For a brief moment, he entertained messaging the group chat he shared with his Twilight Town friends to discuss his plight. That thought was quickly dashed when he realized someone would have contacted him directly if Sora attempted to get in touch through them. If Sora really was in trouble, though, then nobody would have heard from him. In his earlier GummiChat photos, there wasn't even a clear background. Roxas had no idea where Sora was, or where he had been.

Or did he?

He grabbed his phone off his nightstand and opened up Keystagram. He didn't have to scroll long before one of Sora's posts appeared on his feed, uploaded the previous day. Sora was in Radiant Garden's Borough, throwing up his signature shaka in a selfie. It was his go-to pose in most pictures, especially ones with a really apparent background. When Roxas asked him about it a while back, the brunet gleefully explained, "It's so I can bring a little piece of the island with me wherever I go!"

Despite how laid back the picture was, Sora still looked drop-dead handsome in it. He was wearing the outfit created for his travels alone, repurposed from a few Organization XIII uniforms by the three good fairies. This was done as recommended by the Wayfinder Trio, as they figured he could use all the extra protection he could get without any allies by his side to defend him. The fairies turned the cloak into a stylish jacket with an added burgundy lining. The bangles remained as the cinchers for the hood. The sleeves were capped with a stretchy fabric matching the coat's liner, and he always had them pushed up his forearms. The pants fit his legs more snugly, but they still had plenty of mobility. The gloves were made fingerless, the way Sora prefers them. All the stitching was redone in burgundy. It was impossible to tell in the picture, but the entire outfit was covered in secret pockets that didn't distract from the style at all. The only thing leftover from Sora's old clothes was his crown necklace, his favorite white-lined v-neck, and his yellow-and-black shoes.

The caption on this picture wasn't anything unusual: _Pit-stop in Radiant Garden! _and a basic variety of related emojis and hashtags. If it was a pit-stop though, then Sora was on his way somewhere. But where did he end up?

As Roxas' thoughts continued to spiral, he kept coming back to how ridiculous he was being. Why did he care so much anyway? Sora was just a friend.

When his brain bit back with all the fantasies and dreams he had of the other man, he shoved them back down. _**Just**_ a friend that he happened to have a little crush on. _**Just **_a stupid crush.

He checked the time and realized he'd been lying awake for far too long. Slamming his phone back down, he rolled onto his side and forced all his intrusive thoughts away.

_It was just a stupid crush._

He looked over at the balcony where the streetlamps were bathing his room in a comforting glow.

_Just a stupid crush._

He thought about fireworks, and blue eyes, and a chest held tight with the truth.

_Just a…_

He drifted off to the place where his stupid crush took him every single night.

On the second day, Roxas slept through his alarm and there was still nothing from Sora. Roxas hoped school would help distract him, but now he had an even bigger issue focusing than when he was just daydreaming. He made it all the way to lunch before finally breaking down and reaching out to Riku and Kairi about Soras's strange message. Neither of them heard anything. When he got hold of the Radiant Garden crew by the end of the school day, they also had no information to give.

When he laid in bed that night, his thoughts spiraled again. It was strange: not just to be down a crush, but down a friend. They'd gone from years of almost nonstop communication to nothing in as long as a school day. It wasn't like Sora at all to just… _ghost _like that. It amazed Roxas to realize just how fragile it had all been.

He noticed how silly he was being again. Why did it matter so much to him? Sora was an adult with a life separate from Roxas'. It was selfish to be so caught up in his feelings like this when the other man still had no idea how he felt—

So how did Roxas feel?

Three words that clung to him...

His eyes widened.

Chest held tight with the truth—

With all his might, he swept the thoughts away again. He refused to think anything more of them as he twisted up in his bedding. He even squeezed his eyes shut so he wouldn't be tempted to look at the balcony as he drifted off.

_Just a stupid, __**stupid**__ crush._

When sleep reached him, Sora's lips were upon him again.

On the third day, he woke up, and there was still nothing from the brunet. Desperate for answers, he broke down to the group chat.

_[I still haven't heard from Sora. I'm getting really worried.]_

Pence was the first to respond, _[You're only JUST getting worried? Roxas it was the only thing you were talking about yesterday.]_

_[dude] _Hayner texted, _[you got called the FUCK out]_

_[C'mon guys…] _Roxas typed, [_I care about my friend, what's wrong with that?]_

Xion's response was almost instantaneous: _[ROXAS.] _It made him flinch.

Olette's followed shortly after, as if the two women were in sync, _[YOU NEED TO TELL HIM!]_

_[DUDE] _Hayner added, and he could picture the dirty-blond man laughing hysterically.

_[Tell him what?]_ Roxas fibbed. He knew exactly what.

_[You know EXACTLY what!]_

He sighed loudly to himself. It was no secret among their group that Roxas was crushing—_**just stupidly crushing**_—on the Keyblader. Pretty hard. He didn't think it was so obvious, but they teased him often enough about it.

Olette said, _[Roxas, regardless of what's going on with Sora, he would want you to enjoy these last few days before school is over. He wouldn't want you to stress.]_

Sora's harried words echoed in his head, _"Don't panic!"_

Xion added, _[Besides, Sora is unkillable. You know this. He's FINE.]_

Roxas smiled. These were all fair points. If he didn't enjoy these last few days, he would be spurning the greatest gift that Sora had ever given him: his life. Wherever Sora was, he was sure to be rooting for Roxas' happiness. The blond was regretting not texting his friends about this sooner.

_[bet] _Hayner added.

_[DO NOT ever say "bet" again.] _Xion said.

Roxas laughed and replied, _[Bet.]_

At school that day, his friends went back and forth between assuring Roxas and teasing him. Somehow, he was able to focus back on what few classes they had left as a way to distract himself. That evening, his friends came over to hang out at his place. They continued to occupy his mind with small talk, video games, and movie watching. They decided that tomorrow after school would be the last evening they spent as high schoolers in the Usual Spot.

"Should we invite Axel and Isa?" Pence wondered.

Hayner responded, "Definitely! We haven't seen those guys in forever."

"Oh!" Olette gasped, "That reminds me!" She pulled out her phone and showed the group a message. "Isa said he wanted us to meet him and Axel in Tram Common after school tomorrow. He said Xion and I were responsible for wrangling everyone."

"Are they getting off their shift early from Le Grand Bistrot?" Hayner wondered.

"Seems like it. I guess they want to get the full crew officially together before we graduate."

"Just three more days, huh?" Roxas muttered.

The room took on a heavy shroud. It had a similar sensation to the last days of summer vacation, but exponentially more uncomfortable. Even the ones of them who had a plan were still getting the vibe all the way down into their heart.

Then, Pence said, "I can't believe they're making us do it on a Saturday morning." and suddenly everything was better again.

They all shared a laugh. Shortly afterward, everyone called it a night and left Roxas to get ready for bed. When the blond did finally curl under the blankets, he realized the embrace of sleep was more quickly upon him that time. He was grateful to have such honest and understanding friends to lean on in his stressful moments.

He wondered where his stupid crush could be, and hoped he'd get to see him again soon.

And he did, that night... in his dreams.

The next day came and went in a blur. Before he knew it, they were at the Usual Spot playing darts and laughing. They decided that, afterward, they would buy sea-salt ice cream and sit on top of the tower at sunset like they used to. Unfortunately, Axel and Lea couldn't make it due to work. Still, it was a good day. It seemed like a fitting unofficial send-off to their young lives: laid back and simple, just the way it should be.

Roxas had managed to put Sora out of his mind most of the day, up until he was crawling into bed for the night. Fortunately, he'd been tuckered out enough to feel ready for sleep.

He peeked, just once, at the balcony.

His eyes closed.

They opened, and he was at the summer festival. The sky was black as pitch and blanketing them in night. Massive crowds congealed and separated as if they were splits in a river. The town was lit up like the inside of a jack-o-lantern: paper lanterns were lining the streets and spotlights were dancing off the buildings. Music swirled, voices drifted. Everything was a pastel haze of brick-orange and sunny-yellow.

"The fireworks are starting soon," Roxas said. He turned and saw Sora standing beside him. The brunet was grinning like he had a secret.

"I know the perfect view."

Sora's hand wrapped around his, leading him out of the crowd and toward Station Heights. Roxas blinked once, and they were already kicking their shoes off in his studio apartment. Sora led him to the balcony and threw open the french doors. The breeze caught the curtains, winnowing them, and Sora gripped the edges of the sheer panels. A grand smile played on the other man's lips, and Roxas' heart turned to slush in his chest. Sora looked like a thief in the night ready to take off with his spoils at the most opportune moment. Sora gently pulled the curtains back and beckoned Roxas to peer over the balcony with him.

Sora had his arms propped up on the wrought iron railing while Roxas leaned against the balcony door frame. The other man's head was turned toward the sky.

"See?" Sora marveled, "Perfect."

_Yes, you are, _Roxas thought.

"Yes, it is," Roxas said.

Then, the first stream of glittering gold split the sky in twain. An explosion blanketed the town in a fountain of sparks. Sora's entire body perked up.

"Yeah-ha-ha!" He cheered as another one launched into the sky.

A symphony of booms and crackles echoed between the streets as cascades of color streamed down from above. It was always a marvel every year, but this year, the blond was having trouble focusing on the display. Seeing Sora's face lit up with a sense of wonder, as if he were seeing fireworks for the first time all over again, amazed Roxas. It made the event all that more magical for him. He'd been hoping Sora could make it out to the festival for years now, and here their hero finally was.

Then, Sora turned to look at him, "I know I said it a bunch before today but…" His lips quirked in an easygoing smile, "Happy birthday, Roxas."

That's right. That summer—the summer before he would graduate—he had turned 18. They'd managed to pinpoint the date of his official start of existence as June 3rd, which was usually a week before Twilight Town's first summer event: the firework festival. They'd always chosen to celebrate during the festival, and this was the first time Sora could make it.

Even better, Sora was standing in Roxas' room right then and there. The other man was like an ethereal being who came to whisk him away to Olympus. The lights of the town were making Sora's tan skin smolder with gold. Occasionally, a firework would go off and outline Sora's face with a neon glow. Trails of sparks echoed in his deep blue eyes.

It was just as much a haunting moment as it was a romantic one to Roxas. It froze him right through to the bone. He'd fought villains and monsters and saved the world from the apocalypse… and yet here he was, playing out the greatest regret he would have for his lifetime. He couldn't even bring himself to thank the brunet. What little hope Roxas had to say something was dashed when Sora shot him a grin.

"The fireworks are going to go most of the night. Think you'll sleep okay?" The brunet asked.

Roxas assumed the other man needed to leave soon. Sora had business to attend to in the morning, on another world even, so the blond had been expecting a sudden departure at any time.

"Guess I'll find out."

Shaking his head, Sora responded, "No… I'm not letting you go to bed **_just _**yet."

Sora stepped away from the railing. Another firework exploded, and it rattled Roxas' already-trembling nerves. The brunet's normal smile-plastered expression had fallen into something unreadable. An uncertain lull stretched between them as a cacophony of fireworks shook the sky.

This is where two paths diverged in front of Roxas.

The first one was from his actual memory.

Sora stared for a long few seconds in contemplation. Then, with a sudden "Aha!", he skipped toward the living room. He grabbed Roxas' loveseat and pulled it toward the balcony so they could sit as they continued watching the fireworks. The rest of the night was spent talking, beaming, laughing, and enjoying the show. At some point Roxas must have drifted off to sleep because, when he awoke, he'd been laid in his bed. Feelings of regret hung in his waking haze. His loveseat was back in it's usual spot. His alarm clock had been unplugged. Sora had sent him a text:

_[Hope you slept well.]_

It was the last dreamless sleep he would have for a long time.

The second path was the dream that plagued him every night since the summer festival.

Sora stepped toward Roxas, suddenly leaning forward. Roxas could feel Sora's breath on his lips, but all he could focus on was the brunet's eyes. They were closer than they'd ever been, and the blue seemed to sparkle in the night.

"Sora," Roxas said, "Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Can I kiss you, if I do?"

Another firework popped in the sky as an electric jolt went ricocheting in his body. This is where daydreams ended and his salacious desires began. This was the forbidden place his waking mind had to tamp down after every morning. This was his innermost regret and hope come to life in the world of sleep.

"Yes," Roxas breathed into Sora's lips, and they were upon him.

Roxas was pressed into the balcony frame with the strength of the kiss. Sora brought a hand up to the back of the blond's neck to pull him forward. Roxas' hands lingered on whatever exposed skin they could find: Sora's collarbone, cheeks, forearms, neck… he couldn't get enough of the sensation. Their lips parted, tongues flicking together. It sent another static sting ringing through his body. In his head he willed the other man for more.

The hand on Roxas' neck moved to his blond spikes and knotted them into a fist. Roxas groaned, biting Sora's lip in retaliation. The brunet groaned back, using Roxas' tilted head as leverage to ease his tongue further into the blond's mouth.

_I want you,_ Roxas thought.

Sora pulled back, whispering, "I want you, Roxas."

Then, just like always, Roxas was falling back onto his bed with Sora atop him. In the haze and convenience of the dream, they had already become a tangle of limbs. Sora's silhouette seemed to dance with the lights of the town and fireworks behind him.

Then, Roxas' alarm went off.

He cried out as his eyes flew open. The sun was beaming through his balcony, and a mantra of "Zeus damnit" and "Every _**freaking**_ time" left his mouth as he scrambled to turn off his alarm and throw the covers off himself. Roxas began his normal routine of pretending nothing had just happened: he took an ice-cold shower, brushed his teeth, got clothes on, made himself breakfast, and shoved the whole dream and all the resulting guilt or hope it may have caused back into his subconscious.

It took until Pence sat down next to him in homeroom for him to remember that it was their last day of school. The brown-eyed boy looked especially mischievous that morning and it made Roxas curious. Strangely, the day was neither too long nor too short. He was incredibly anxious at times, and other times, tranquility settled over him. He had some goodbyes with his teachers, and fellow students, and random administrators he'd spoken to only once or twice in his lifetime. When the last bell rang, his friends found each other and decided to walk out of school together.

"Wait!" Pence cried.

They turned to see Pence hadn't quite stepped out of the school yet. With indignance, he yanked his tie off his neck, knotted it into a ball, and tossed it over his shoulder. They all laughed. In solidarity, they followed suit: removing their ties, balling them up, and tossing them back into the school. They were officially free.

They made their way down to Tram Common and met up with Axel and Lea.

"Yo!" The redhead called, "How's it feel to be done?"

Roxas was the first to respond, "Well we haven't been to our graduation _yet. _So we're not technically done."

Axel scoffed, "I hope they gave you honors for being a smartass."

"Would that honor be a stole or sash?"

Axel rubbed at his chin in consideration. "Both… because that's how obnoxious you are."

They shared a cheeky grin. Isa stepped forward.

"Let's head out. Got everything you need?"

Nodding, Axel reached into a pocket. Then, looking confused, he began patting his other pockets. "Shit. Actually, I think I left my phone in my work locker. Let's go inside the Bistrot. I'm sure someone in there owes all of you a congrats or two, anyway."

He beckoned them to follow. The lights of the Bistrot seemed dim, and there wasn't much movement behind the frosted glass. Roxas never knew the place to have a lull, especially right after school got out.

They opened the doors, walked inside, and the lights all snapped to full strength at once. There was a series of pops as a cloud of black, white, and gold confetti obscured their vision. A loud variety of "CONGRATULATIONS!" belted from within the restaurant.

Before the confetti cleared, Roxas could feel himself being scooped into a crushing hug. He recognized who it was almost immediately when spiked hair pressed into his cheek.

The figure pulled back, and Roxas found himself looking into the beaming face of Sora.

"Congratulations!" Sora said, "And... surprise!"

Roxas was, in fact, incredibly surprised. His eyes quickly took in the sight behind Sora: everyone was there. Riku, Kairi, Namine, the entire Radiant Garden crew, the Wayfinder Trio, The King, Donald, Goofy… every single person who fought by his side, who he helped save the world. All of them, including Sora.

Axel grinned from off to the side. "I told you someone might owe you some congrats."

As a cascade of emotions flooded him, words came tumbling out.

"Sora, you're here—everyone is here. Who planned this?"

"I did, of course!" Sora chirped, "I planned this for all of you. You all finally made it to the moment you've been waiting for. That was something worth celebrating."

Roxas felt the tears in his throat before they ever reached his eyes. Without a second thought, he pulled Sora back in for another hug and pressed his forehead into the brunet's shoulder. "Idiot," He muttered, tears flowing freely down his cheeks, "I only made it because of _**you**__, _Sora."

_I love you._

His glossy eyes went wide.

There it was: the truth he'd been pushing away this whole time. Since the two of them started hanging out and texting, he had an inkling about it. But from the moment they had watching the fireworks, he'd known. He just didn't want to accept it. He wasn't ready to accept it.

Was he ready now?

He swallowed hard as Sora wrapped his arms around Roxas again. The blond felt pure bliss. He never wanted to come out of this moment and face the world again.

There was pressure all around them, and he realized it was because every person in the restaurant had descended upon them in a massive group hug. He even felt Little Chef nuzzle comfortingly into his hair. Roxas felt uplifted and secure all at once. His tears pulsed out of him in a sob.

"Thank you," He wept.

His Twilight Town friends echoed their own gratitude amidst sniffles and sobs.

Suddenly, Sora pulled back again. He dabbed wet cheeks with the back of a gloved hand. "That's enough crying for now!" He demanded, "We can pick it up tomorrow when all of you are done getting your diplomas. Come and eat!"

The crowd before them parted, and they saw the entire back wall of the kitchen was flocked with steaming dishes of food and sparkling delicacies that looked more like art than dinner.

Hayner was the first to break from the group, "Hell, you don't have to tell me twice!"

His other friends joined the bombastic blond, and the crowd of their otherworldly friends pooled seamlessly into clusters of lively conversation around the restaurant. Roxas looked at the brunet. They were still holding one another by the elbows. Sora's skin was warm, and it felt like Roxas was sucking its heat directly into his own cheeks. He still had so many questions.

"Sora, I—"

"Roxas," Sora replied softy, gently cutting the blond off. He reached up and wiped a tear from Roxas' cheek with his thumb. The sensation sent a tingle all across the blond's face. "Go eat food. You'll feel better."

Lips quirking into a smile, he nodded and went off to join his friends. As we was ogling the many delights, he spotted Little Chef skittering up onto the table. Roxas bent down to speak with him.

"It looks amazing, Little Chef. Did Sora help you make all of this?"

Beaming, the rat's head bounced happily. He also gestured toward Axel and Isa.

"Those guys too?" He couldn't help but chuckle, "That's a bit of a surprise."

As if on cue, Axel poked his head into the conversation. "Yeah right! We've been helping get this shindig together for almost five whole days now."

Roxas asked, "You spent the entire week setting this up?"

The little rat bounced his head in acquiescence.

"I… have no words. Thank you all so much."

Little Chef bowed, and Axel guffawed. "You can thank us by eating before everything gets cold!" He handed Roxas a dinner plate, then gave him a playful shove, "Now get in there!"

Roxas eyes scanned the luxurious display uncertainly, "I don't even know where to start!"

Little Chef's ears perked up and he gestured for Roxas' attention. The creature led him down the long stretch of tables, pointing out foods to grab and instructing the blond on adding garnishes or pouring sauces. By the time his plate was piled with food, it looked like an absolute masterpiece. Leave to it Little Chef to make a fine dining experience out of what could have been a simple buffet.

They enjoyed good food and excellent conversations all the way past sundown. It was the first time they truly got to celebrate together after saving Sora. It was amazing to Roxas that he'd acquired such an amazing extended family through all these hardships.

During a conversation he was having with Ventus about which one of them wore their hair better, Sora tapped him on the shoulder.

The brunet muttered close to Roxas' ear, "Meet me outside when you're done?" and it sent chills all up and down him.

As Sora crept outside, Ventus gave him an amused smile, "You look like a lobster right now."

Roxas fixed his lips in a tight line.

Ventus laughed, "Just go, dude."

When Roxas arrived outside, the town was bustling in its usual manner. A sign on the Bistrot's door read "Reserved for Private Party." Sora was sitting at the nearest table with a small, covered serving tray in front of him. The brunet stood, suddenly—rattling the metal table and its minimal contents.

"Roxas! I didn't think you'd follow me right out."

The blond came and sat in front of him. "It seemed pretty important."

Sitting back down, Sora beamed at him, "It is pretty important."

He lifted the silver lid from the tray. Sitting on a platter was a small yellow cake with white cream and sliced strawberries lining the middle section. Roxas actually felt his mouth watering as he took in the sight.

Sora announced, "It's a fraz—uh, no. It's a freash… crap… It's a frasher? Frazier? Whatever. It's a strawberry cake." He flashed a crooked grin, "I made it just for you."

Roxas laughed, "Your memory is so good, and yet you can't remember the name of a dish _**you**_ made."

"Whatever. It's the pronunciation I struggle with, not the name." He handed the blond a fork, "My only request is that you share some with me since I haven't gotten a chance to try it yet."

"I suppose that's a fair price for all the wonderful things you've done for us today." Roxas crossed his arms and facetiously added, "Although, I don't know if I've forgiven you for ghosting me quite yet."

Brows furrowing, Sora asked, "Ghosting you?" He paused for a long second, and then realization crept into his expression, "Didn't Axel text you to let you know I was fine?"

Roxas' own eyes went wide, "Apparently not."

"Zeus damnit Axel...!" His hands went to cover his face, "Ugh, for someone who says 'got it memorized' all the time, he sure is forgetful. I should've asked Isa."

"What happened?"

"I didn't want to risk anyone finding out I was in town. I even told everyone who was coming to pretend like they didn't hear from me. I started working in the Bistrot's kitchen almost as soon as I got here on Monday. My plan was to call while you were in class and let you know I'd be off the grid for a while. But the kitchen was so busy and, of course, I tripped—and my phone dropped into the damn consommé!" He flopped back into his chair.

At first, Roxas was shocked… but then, he couldn't help the laughter bubbling out of him. Based on his memory of the brunet's message, it all came together perfectly in his head. Here, he'd been so genuinely worried about Sora's health and it turned out to be something completely in-character.

The brunet groaned, "Yeah, I know… typical Sora right? Little Chef was _**pissed**_. He had me scrubbing pots all night after that! Anyway, I asked Axel to text you and let you know I was okay. I guess that never happened. I hope I didn't worry you."

Roxas tucked the truth of the matter in with all the other secrets he was keeping about the other Keyblader. "I was a little worried," He lied, "But I figured you could handle yourself." He was suddenly extra grateful for his friends talking him down from his concerns when they did.

Relieved, Sora let out a sigh, "Good."

They both took a bite of the cake. It was the perfect combination of sweet and spongy.

"Does this mean you'll be at the ceremony tomorrow?"

"You bet! I'm ready to cry and take lots of pictures. Oh! Speaking of!"

He jumped out of his chair, pulled his phone out, and came to Roxas' side. Recognizing the brunet's zeal, Roxas was ready to put his arm around the other man's shoulders as Sora's hand came to rest on his side. They both flashed their toothiest grin as Sora snapped a photo. Kneeling beside the blonde, he opened up the pic. It was perfect, just like most of Sora's pictures. They always seemed to be perfect on the first try, which was an insane skill the brunet seemed to have. It was like there was no way to take a bad photo with the man because his valor flooded into whoever he was with.

Recently, Sora had become defined by his love of taking pictures. "They're like memories that never fade," He explained once, "If I always have pictures, then I always have a piece of my heart somewhere safe. It's like a little snapshot trapped in time and space, where no one can touch it."

It made Roxas wonder if one of Sora's few fears was losing his memories again. It was strange to think the man was troubled by not remembering something but shrugged off death like it was nothing.

"Send that one to me," Roxas insisted.

"Totally!" Putting his phone away, Sora returned to his seat and picked his fork back up. "So, you really did ditch the tie, huh?" Roxas described their last act of defiance that day at school, and Sora guffawed around a piece of cake in his mouth, "That's amazing! It really is the end of an era, huh?"

Eyes cast downward, Roxas said, "I don't know whether I feel free or… trapped, honestly," Sora quirked his head, so Roxas continued, "You know like... when you go out to eat at a restaurant that you've never been to, and you sit down. It's beautiful and new and interesting—but then, they hand you a menu. The menu is more like a book. There are too many choices, _**way**_ too many, and it feels like it goes on forever. You think, 'Can I really commit to this dish? Or that one?' It feels like you've been looking at this menu for _**ages**_… but now the waiter is back at your table asking for your order, and you _**still**_ have no idea what you want after all that time."

Sora nodded solemnly, "I can absolutely imagine what you're talking about."

Roxas ate another piece of cake before he spoke again, "Basically, nothing's changed since the last time we talked about it. I'm still just as stuck as I was before."

Sora took a long breath. Roxas gazed at him, watching as the brunet collected himself. This whole scene felt like something out of a movie. The restaurant lights, streetlamps, and sun-baked bricks cast everything in a shade of sepia. Sora's black clothes, comfortable posture, and contemplative expression made him look like he was posing for an ad. Roxas felt himself getting lost in a momentary daydream: reaching over the table for Sora's hand and whispering, "Ma belle, je t'adore, je t'aime…" Then, they'd lean in for a kiss just as a brand of perfume appeared on the screen. Were it not for Sora's serious expression, he would have laughed.

"Roxas, there was another reason I wanted to talk to you outside," The brunet leaned over the table, talking softly but firmly, "I want you to come with me."

Unsure of Sora's meaning, Roxas asked, "Where?"

"_**Everywhere.**_ You haven't seen the worlds before."

Roxas could feel his heart squeezing in his chest. It felt like the air had been punched out of him, like getting knocked back from a blow to the stomach. His mind scrambled for something—anything—that wasn't just shocked silence this time.

"Well, I have…" Roxas reminded him, "I did in the Organization."

He mentally slapped himself, _Idiot! 'Anything' doesn't mean __**just**__ anything!_

Sora shook his head, "No, I mean **_really see_** them. Enjoy them and all the beautiful things they have to offer. Roxas, I can show you the _**worlds**_. All of them." Serious blue eyes cut deeply into him, "Will you come with me?"

Every part of him was screaming _yes._ _Yes_, he wanted to go. _Yes_, he wanted to be by Sora's side. _Yes_, he wanted to see everything the galaxy had to offer them.

So why couldn't he say it? It was no more than a single syllable. It would have taken no more than a breath.

_Say it, _He begged himself, _Tell him "yes!"_

But he couldn't bring himself to. He wanted to go… but he didn't want to go if he felt this way for Sora. It would be dishonest of him and unfair to Sora if he was always silently pining after the man. Furthermore, he didn't think his heart could take the strain. It was easy when they were worlds away most of the time.

A more practical part of him also argued that, on top of all that, how could he hide it if his sleep was cursed by those lucid wet dreams?

Most of all though, he didn't want to risk losing this. These moments of Sora's kindness, his unreserved smile, his endless heart... He never wanted Sora to look at him differently. He never wanted to lose this friendship that he'd come to treasure. He didn't want Sora to lose it either.

Roxas had been speechless for a very long moment, but it didn't seem to phase Sora. The brunet was still staring at him intently, somehow looking both eager _**and **_patient.

Wetting his lips, Roxas finally spoke, "I… don't know."

He meant it, too, which was the worst part.

The brunet blinked once… twice… then, his entire expression softened.

"I'm sorry. That was a little out of the blue, huh?" Sora glanced away and scrubbed at the back of his neck, "I hope you don't feel pressured or anything."

"N-no!" Roxas stuttered, "I just… I still have some stuff to think about before I make a big decision like that," He chuckled, "Besides, who knows? You might get sick of me after a certain point."

There was another pause. The muffled merriment from inside the restaurant was apparent as Sora's brows knitted in consideration.

"Roxas… I just had a really great idea."

Curious, the blond nodded, "I'm listening."

"How about I stay in Twilight Town for a while, and we get used to being around each other? At the end of it, you can still decide whether or not you want to go with me, and I won't argue. This way, you can get your stuff figured out and we can actually get to know each other better."

Heart singing, Roxas could feel himself lighting up from the inside. Finally, some time to spend with Sora in person? To buddy up like he and his Twilight Town friends? "That does sound like a great idea!"

Lifting a piece of cake with his fork, Sora announced, "Then it's settled! Here's to the first of many days spent as Sora and Roxas. Cheers!"

Roxas squished his own piece of cake against Sora's, giggling, "Cheers!"

When they finished the cake they ventured back inside. The festivities continued well into the night, far past how late they should have stayed up with gradation in the early morning. Sora and Roxas had stayed side-by-side the entire evening, practically inseparable. Eventually most of them were sitting and continuing languid conversations as others were beginning the slow process of helping clean the restaurant up. One by one, Roxas' Twilight Town friends left before him until he was the last one left.

"Please let me help clean up," Roxas begged. Hayner had been the only one in their group not to make the same offer, and it was only because he'd practically put himself into a food coma.

"No," Isa told him point-blank, "You have to be up early. Go home."

Groaning, Roxas argued, "You're all going to be up at the same time, though. Let me help."

Isa's stern gaze flicked to Sora, who put a reassuring hand on Roxas' arm, "It's okay, Roxas. Really! Let me walk you home."

Now preoccupied with the sensation of Sora touching him, he relented… but not before thanking everyone extensively on his way out.

The walk to his apartment was shorter than expected, but that may have been because time always seemed to fly around Sora. When they got to Roxas' door, the brunet gave him another squeezing hug.

"I can't wait to see you tomorrow," Before Roxas had a chance to swoon over the comment, Sora pulled back and followed up with, "It'll be great to be there when you walk!"

"Yeah!" Roxas agreed, "I also can't wait for you to… see you seeing me tomorrow… when I walk?"

Sora laughed, "Something like that!" The other man turned and began walking back toward the restaurant.

Roxas had just put his key in his door when he realized he'd forgotten something. "Sora!" Roxas shouted, and the other man looked over his shoulder at him. This time, Roxas didn't have to mince words, "Thank you for everything. You are… just… amazing. You're the most amazing person I've ever known. Thank you."

He could see a dazzling gran stretching across Sora's face. Suddenly, the other man was ducking his head down and scratching the back of his neck.

"It's no big deal, Roxas. I'd do anything for you." Then, the other man was running, his voice echoing across the street, "GOODNIGHT!"

Face flush with a blush, Roxas watched until Sora's retreating form vanished from sight. He looked down at the doorknob, brain forgetting for a beat how opening a door works. A few long seconds later, he was inside and kicking his shoes off. In a few seconds more, his back was against the door and his body was sliding to the floor. His cheeks burned and ached.

_He'd do anything for me._

After managing to compose himself, he got up off the floor, changed, and crawled into bed. He stared out at Twilight Town and all of its sunny-yellow lights.

Eyes sliding closed, Roxas fell asleep with a contented smile on his face.

In his dream, he was stepping out of the Bistrot. The streets were silent and empty.

Sora stood up out of his chair, rattling the metal table. Roxas walked up to him, feeling light as a breeze. Without wasting a word, Sora was wrapping his arms around the blond and pressing him into the restaurant wall.

"I want you, Roxas," Sora said.

* * *

The door to the Bistrot opened, and Sora stepped back inside. Riku, Kairi, Axel, Isa, and Little Chef were the last ones left out of the party and were all helping clean up. When they heard the door, everyone dropped what they were doing to huddle around Sora. Their eyes were practically sparkling with excitement, and even Little Chef's ears were perked high above his eager face.

Riku was the first to speak, asking, "You gave him the cake?"

Sora sighed his response, "Yeah…"

Axel added, "Did you ask him to go traveling with you?"

Sora grimaced, "Yep…"

Bouncing on her heels, Kairi asked, "And you finally confessed your feelings?"

Shoulders slumping, Sora shook his head no.

His crestfallen vibe quickly infected the small crowd: each person's expression fell into disappointment as they let out a collective groan… except for Kairi. She grabbed Sora's shoulders and shook him. Violently.

"THIS WAS YOUR PERFECT CHANCE!" She cried, "WHAT HAPPENED?"

"Roxas is really stressed out right now, okay?!" Sora cried back, "I didn't want to drop a bombshell like that when he already said he didn't know if he wanted to travel with me!"

It was Axel who snapped next, "DUDE. That's why you were supposed to ask him _after_ you confessed!"

Unbeknownst to all of them, since they were also Roxas' close friends, Axel and Isa were aware of Roxas' feelings for Sora. It wasn't their place to tell the brunet, but when they found out Sora had mutual feelings, they'd been taking turns urging both sides to confess. Isa had been incredibly patient through the whole ordeal, but right then Axel was practically foaming at the mouth in frustration. When a series of angry noises made its way out of his throat, Isa gave him a firm but reassuring pat on the back.

"I know!" Sora defended himself, "But I chickened out at the last minute. He was just _**staring**_ at me, and I-I couldn't think!"

The two tall men shared a look that held the same thought: _They're perfect for eachother._

"It's okay, though," Sora said, "I think I have a new plan."

Looking back, it was probably the dumbest plan any of them had heard. Axel practically choked on his annoyance at the suggestion of it. There was no sense to it, and there certainly wasn't a chance of success for it.

This is precisely why it was so surprising when the plan actually _**worked.**_

...for the most part, anyway.

* * *

_Exeunt_

* * *

A/N: Well I was supposed to have this finished for SoRoku Week 2020's Day 1 prompt, which was mutual pining. Then I was also supposed to have it done by Valentine's Day. But, roughly 36 pages later and _only chapter one_ is done! This was meant to be a one-shot, but I thought it might be more fun to split it up into two parts. SHIT. What-the-heck-ever, I really don't care that drabbles keep turning into full stories, it was fun to write. Will we learn Sora's side of the story too? I guess we'll find out soon!

**_References and Inspirations_**

_\- "Ma Belle Evangeline" from Princess and the Frog. Totally underrated Disney song. So simple and romantic and stupidly sweet. Also a world I'd love to see in a Kingdom Hearts game!_

_\- "A Whole New World" from Aladdin. Obviously._

_\- The yaoi manga Scratch Blue._

\- I just finished watching all of Miraculous Ladybug over Valentine's Week, so Roxas' interactions with Sora are based loosely around Marinette and Adrien.

_\- Roxas' apartment is based on a design that the website Modsy was showcasing for studio apartments layouts. I was having trouble coming up with a really simple layout on my own. The balcony is actually based on one a friend of mine actually had. The balcony itself was so insanely small depth-wise for how big and beautiful the doors made it seem, and yet, it was so lovely. Great view of the city, cozy, and she did an amazing job of bringing it to life with lots of cute plants. I almost wanted to live there._

_\- The square root of 13 is 3.6… so I made Roxas' birthday June 3rd._

_\- The beautiful artists and writers contributing to the SoRoku Week tag, whose art I am just now seeing because I'm no longer distracted with writing this chapter._

**Some News:**

Reminder: I have a Twitter for more frequent and less wordy updates! You can follow me at **mewsomniac**.

Also… might be throwing my hat in the ring with a T-rated Miraculous Ladybug fic… haven't quite decided yet.

_**SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU, THE READER:**_

RIP Snapchat! I wanted to challenge myself by writing a story that had a lot of phone usage and details (mainly Sora's clothes and Roxas' apartment). Please let me know how I did on both of those if you're willing.

I would appreciate your critique so I may take it into future fics!

* * *

**Thanks for your help! Please please PLEASE favorite, review, ask questions, send kudos, add bookmarks… anything!**


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